Our Thursday evening meeting was a cracker - 27 members and a guest. Good on you, Peter McC, for bringing Dan along. My guest pulled out at the 11th hour, leaving me with a little egg on my chin.
It was such a good meeting I got the minutes twice! Thanks, Christo and Barney. If I were you, I’d have a quiet word with your Director. I’ve merged the two versions into one for the record.
Christo also handed me a laminated page from the Chronicle, dated Saturday 28 April 2001, marking “…25 years of success…” for our club. The list of achievements back then was impressive. The photo was equally fascinating - younger faces, more hair, jackets and ties everywhere. It’s a quick visual reminder of just how much things have changed.
Now, 25 years on, it’s an interesting conversation to have with some of those same men about how the club has evolved. The need to adapt is no small matter - it goes to the heart of our number one priority: membership.
Rotary offers plenty of programs and initiatives, but the reality is there’s no magic bullet, no wand to wave, no fairy godmother to do the work.
We are the solution.
The shape of this club heading into its next 50 years will be determined by us - our flexibility, our willingness to adapt, and our commitment. That means putting in time at working bees, attending functions, inviting guests. Above all, it means using our greatest strength: fellowship. But like a good marriage, fellowship needs time and effort - from you.
To borrow the timeless words of Hillel the Elder: “If not you, then who? If not now, when?”
On to other business - we’ve proposed to RC Toowoomba North a joint meeting to host DG Mark Williams. It eases the load for him and strengthens ties with our fellow Rotarians.
And a special thank you to Gili. The first Ladies Morning Tea was a great success by all reports.
Board meeting Tuesday. See you Thursday for Peter Hardwick’s member profile - should be a good one.
A fee will apply to any member late with an apology regardless of whether the number attending on the meeting day of the meeting is over, under or equal to what the Club Secretary submitted to the Downs Club. This fee will only apply to meetings at the Downs Club or any other club meeting where attendance numbers have to be stipulated prior to the meeting.
A Club member will be charged a meal fee of $20 if they
fail to submit any apology before 11am on Tuesday for the meeting the following Thursday (48 hrs later)
need to submit a late apology due to changed circumstance.
Fail to show up after indicating they would be present.
The members owing a fee of $20 will notified by the Club Secretary and Club Treasurer via an emailed
Late apology fee notice.
The fee can be paid by direct credit into the RCTE Club account or by adding $20 to the $35 meal fee at the next club meeting
Apologies 31.07.2025
Wayne Barnett, Dave Birrell, Rod Brilliant, Andy Burke, Gary Campbell, Phillip Charles, Jim Charlton, Col Davidson, Shane Fisher, David Groves, Andrew Kratzmann, John Liley, Peter McLoughlin, Mark Redmond, Toby Sandell, Paul Stephenson, Matt Wentzel, Mark Winter
Apologies 07.08.2025 – Night meeting, apologies not required
